"When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon."

Freedom

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Insight & Reflection

This reflection on freedom by Thomas Paine resonates across generations. It highlights a fundamental truth about human nature: our continuous search for meaning in freedom is what ultimately defines our character and our path forward.

About Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine was an English-born American Founding Father, inventor, political philosopher, and statesman. He authored Common Sense (1776) and The American Crisis (1776–1783), two of the most influential pamphlets at the start of the American Revolution, and he helped to inspire the colonial era patriots in 1776 to declare independence from Great Britain. His ideas reflected Enlightenment-era ideals of human rights.

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Editorial Note: This quote is curated and fact-checked by the Quotes Archive Editorial Team. Verified Literature Specialist.

More by Thomas Paine

"A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue but moderation in principle is always a vice."

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More about Freedom

"If you want total security, go to prison. There you're fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking... is freedom."

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"Justice is the harmonious balance between individual liberty and collective good. Remember this in moments of decisive trial."

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